Action Alert

Doing our own work, with our own money

Tell the Airforce to adopt a secular motto

February 10, 2012

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has taken issue with the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office's (USAF-RCO) latest decision to change its Latin motto from "Doing God's Work, with Other People's Money" to "Doing Miracles with Other People's Money." While FFRF applauds the gesture, we don't feel that the change has gone far enough.

In a Feb. 10 letter to Secretary Donley and General Norton Schwartz, FFRF notes that either of the mottos "would be appropriate for a faith healer or a slick televangelist, but neither is appropriate for the U.S. military."

The USAF-RCO made a wise choice when it removed "God" from the motto, but to replace it with "miracles" does nothing to relieve the religious entanglement. "A miracle, by its very definition, recognizes a god that intervenes in human affairs. It is an entirely religious idea that is rejected by rationalists and nonbelievers," wrote FFRF Co-Presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor.

FFRF maintains that a group motto should be "something that all members can rally around."

USAF-RCO's new motto does not do anything to alleviate the perception that the military is endorsing religion. There are many nonbelievers in the service who do not subscribe to a faith.

FFRF needs your help! Please write, email or phone Secretary Donley and General Schwartz. Send a concise, clear message that they must go one step further and adopt a secular motto.

TALKING POINTS

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